Storage and dispensing rack

ABSTRACT

A rack for storing and retrieving articles which includes a compartment having a viewable area at the top thereof and through which the articles are removed therefrom. The rack is preferably formed of a one-piece blank of suitable rigid material and which is folded along certain predetermined lines.

e 1 United States Patent 1 1 3,743,104 Peterson 1' July 3, 1973 STORAGE AND DISPENSXNG RACK 1,731,950 10/1929 Tanner 206/45 2 6, 1 4 1943 D [75] Inventor: John B. Peterson, Madison, Wis. :3 5:1 42953 fgg 2,344,273 3/1944 Simon [73] Assgnee' 2,943,745 7/1960 Bjornson 211/60R [22] Filed: June 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 151,012 Primary ExaminerNile C. Byers, Jr.

, Att0rneyMetro Kalimon [52] US. Cl. 211/60 [51] Int. Cl. [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 211/60, 69.1, 88, A rack for Storing and retrieving articles which includes a compartment havmg a viewable area at the top [56] References Cited thereof and through which the articles are removed therefrom. The rack is preferably formed of a one- UNITED STATES PATENTS piece blank of suitable rigid material and which is 2,105,594 1/1938 Henrich 211/88 X folded along certain predetermined lines. 3,263,820 8/1966 McFadden 211/60 R 1,551,139 8/1925 Dietsche 211/72 X 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 3 I975 SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTOR JOHN B. PETERSON ATTORNEY PAILNIEUJUL 3 I915 SHEET 2 [If 2 F/GZ mvzmon JOHN B. PETERSON BY mzg/wm ATTORNEY STORAGE AND DISPENSING RACK This invention relates to racks for storing and dispensing elongated articles. In a particular aspect it relates to racks for storing articles whose identity must be preserved for subsequent retrieval, such as biological specimens which include blood specimens, cultures, and straws containing frozen bovine semen. While the racks may be put to a host of applications, the invention will be described with specific use to preserving and dispensing straws containing semen for breeding cattle.

Extensive field tests led to the introduction in the early 1950s of commercial techniques which have shown that semen, properly collected and frozen, can be stored for long periods and distributed economically in the frozen state. Economics and advantages in the distribution of frozen semen are such that most of the artificial breeding of dairy cattle in the United States has been converted to this technique. Generally, the procedure involves collecting the semen, packaging it in a suitable container, such as an ampule or a slender plastic straw measuring about five inches in length, and storing the package in a suitable refrigerating apparatus maintained at a temperature of about -320F by means of liquid nitrogen.

Recently, the straw has gained favor as the most desirable container for use in the artificial breeding system. The straw containing the semen carries such information as the name of the sire, registration number, code number, batch identification and, if necessary, any other information. These straws are packaged in cylinders having open tops which hold about 250 breeding units and the cylinders are stored in a suitable refrigerator where the semen is cryogenically preserved.

The storage of straws in such large units suffers from certain disadvantages. In particular, the straws are removed from storage by hand for selection purposes resulting in rapid increase in temperature with consequent possible damage to the fertility of the frozen sperm. Repeated removal of the straw from the cryogenic atmosphere results in a progressive decline in viability of the semen. In addition, the identification data which are printed on the straw are progressively removed by repeated handling. Moreover, even if the straw is not handled frequently, the data are generally obscured by frosting which arises during the refrigerating cycle and hand rubbing of the frost in order to read the identification information concomitantly removes the printed data.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide means for storing and preserving retrievable articles with facility and without altering the articles or removing identifying data relative thereto during the storing and retrieving cycle. This objective is accomplished by providing a rack having at least one compartment for holding a plurality of articles which includes an open area for viewing and removing the articles therefrom. The rack is preferably formed from a one-piece blank of rigid material, such as paperboard, sheet plastic, and thin metal. The assembled structure includes an elongated rear wall, a horizontal shelf disposed near the lower section of the rear wall, and corresponding side and/or front walls which are of shorter length than the rear wall. The side and front walls commence a predetermined distance downwardly from the rear which when folded along appropriate margins form a compartment having an accessible area at the upper end thereof. The shelf is generally in frictional engagement with the inner surface of all walls which form the compartment.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 illustrates a blank with appropriate enclosing walls which when assembled form a rack having a triangular cross section. FIG. 1A is an elevational side view of the rack assembled from the blank shown in FIG. 1 and includes articles stored therein. FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the rack taken along the line lB-IB of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 illustrates a blank suitable for use in forming a rack having a pentagonal cross section. FIG. 2A shows a cross section of the rack assembled from the blank of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows a blank from which a rack is formed having a square cross section. FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the assembled rack.

Referring to FIG. 1, the unitary blank shown generally at 10 is adapted to form a triangular shaped rack. It includes an elongated rear wall 11 disposed between a pair of enclosing front walls 12 and 13 which commence a predetermined distance downwardly from the upper end 14 of the rear wall 11 and extend laterally from the longitudinal margins 12a and 13a of the rear wall. The upper edges 12b and 13b of the walls 12 and 13 respectively incline downwardly and outwardly from the rear wall which, when the walls 12 and 13 are bent inwardly along the margins 12a and 12b and converge about the longitudinal median line of the rear wall, defines a compartment having an open area at the upper end as shown generally at 15 in FIG. 1A.

A shelf 16 having a tapered forward face is stamped out of the lower part of the rear wall along the diagonal interrupted lines 16a and brought forward to a horizontal level on which the vertically aligned articles 19 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) are supported. The upper end 14 of therear wall may be appropriately bent to provide means by which the rack may be grasped and includes a seat 17 upon which suitable indicia may be applied.

The formation of a rack having a compartment with a triangular cross section has the distinct advantage in that only a single article at any time stands out in front of the others. This is illustrated at 18 in FIG. 1B. This permits gripping of only the forward article for removal from the rack and only one article will always occupy the forward position irrespective of whether the compartment is completely or partially filled.

In FIG. 2, a rack is formed from a unitary blank which is bent along certain lines to provide a compartment having a pentagonal cross section. The blank shown generally at 21 includes an elongated rear wall 22, a pair of downwardly inclining side walls 23 and 24 which extend laterally from the longitudinal margins 23a and 24a of the rear wall, and a pair of front walls 25 and 26 which commence from the lower inclining portion and extend laterally from the longitudinal margins 25a and 26a of the side walls. A shelf 27 is formed at the lower end of the rear wall by stamping the material along interrupted lines 27a and lifting the stamped section to a horizontal plane. The formed shelf will have a tapered forward section.

In forming the compartment, the shelf is first developed, side walls 23 and 24 are bent or folded forwardly at right angles along margins 23a and 24a, and then front walls 25 and 26 are bent or folded diagonally forward along margins 25a and 26a where they converge about the longitudinal median line of the rear wall. A cross section of the geometrical configuration of the resulting compartment is shown in FIG. 2A. It is noted that the upper ends 2312 and 24b incline downwardly a predetermined distance from the respective margins of the rear wall. This incline provides an open area to the complete assembly and serves the same function as area in FIG. 1A. The upper end 28 of the rear wall may be structured along the same lines as end 14 shown in FIG. 1A to provide a suitable seat for receiving appropriate indicia.

A pentagonally configured compartment-combines the advantage of providing additional storage area in the section bounded by right angles with the advantage of the triangular face as described thereinbefore with respect to the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1, 1A,'and 13.

FIGS. 3 and 3A illustrate another embodiment in which the compartment is formed exclusively of walls which are bent or folded at right angles. Although FIG. 3A illustrates a compartment having a square cross section, the arrangement may be modified to one which is rectangularly configured by employing a pair of opposed walls which are wider than the other pair of walls.

The blank shown generally at 31 includes an elongated wall 32 disposed between a pair of side walls 33 and 34. The side walls commence a predetermined distance downwardly from the upper end 35 of the rear wall and extend laterally from the longitudinal margins 33a and 34a of the rear wall. The upper edges 33b and 34b of the respective walls 33 and 34 incline downwardly and outwardly from the rear wall which in the assembled compartment provides an area of exposure for articles stored therein similarly as shown at 15 in FIG. 1A. Front wall 36 commences from the lower inclining portion and extends laterally from the longitudinal margin of either side wall which in this illustration shows extension of the front wall from the longitudinal margin 36a of side wall 33.

In forming the assembled rack, the shelf 37 is brought to a horizontal plane by downwardly drawing the stamped section of the lower part of rear wall 32 which is illustrated by interrupted lines 37a. Side walls 33 and 34 are bent or folded inwardly at right angles along margins 33a and 34a and then front wall 36 is further bent or folded at a right angle in parallel relationship to the rear wall. A cross section of the resulting enclosed compartment is shown in FIG. 3A. End 35 may be fashioned along the same lines as end 14 of FIG. 1 to provide a seat similar to 17 for receiving appropriate indicia.

It is noted that the invention has'been described with respect to a rack having a single compartment. The invention, however, is applicable to formation ofa multitier structure having more than one compartment joined by a common rear wall. This is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 wherein the compartments are joined in superposed relationship by the common rear walls shown at 11a and 32a, respectively. The number of compartments which may be so joined depends upon the size and use to which the rack will be put.

The use of racks in cryogenic preservation of bovine semen dictates a size which will accommodate a small number of semen-containing straws. This permits appropriate identification of the rack at the seat provided at the upper end without removal from the refrigerator. In addition, if removal is necessary the identification can frequently be made by reading the data printed on the straw which resides in the most forward position in the compartment, such as the triangular area illustrated in the structures of FIGS. I and 2. In artificially breeding cattle, the rack serves additional functions which include handling straws'in multiples rather than as units which provides an increase in labor efficiency, and shielding the product from warm air and warm hands during transfers.

Other uses to which the racks may be applied include preservation of a host of liquefied products such as blood specimens, and storage of powdered products at various temperatures. A particular use involves storage and dispensation of common drinking straws at soda fountains.

I claim:

1. A rack formed from a one-piece blank of rigid material and adapted to hold articles in a vertical position comprising an elongated unitary rear wall, a plurality of forwardly facing horizontally disposed shelves stamped out of a part of the lower sections of said rear wall, and a plurality of at least two sets of enclosing walls commencing a predetermined distance downwardly from the real wall and extending from the longitudinal margins of the rear wall and converging in the front of the rear wall thereby forming a plurality of compartments which are open at the upper end and closed at the lower end by said shelves, the upper edges of walls which extend from the longitudinal margins of the rear wall inclining downwardly and forwardly thereby providing an area at the upper end of the rack for exposure of the top portions of articles held within the compartment the rear wall being upwardly extended to form a handle, and the wall folds being parallel.

2. A rack according to claim 1 wherein the shelves have a tapered forward face and wherein the enclosing walls include a plurality of pairs of walls extending diagonally from the opposed longitudinal margins of the rear wall and which converge forwardly about the longitudinal median thereof to form compartments having a triangular cross section.

3. A rack according to claim 1 wherein the enclosing walls include a plurality of pairs of opposed side walls which extend forwardly at right angles from the respective longitudinal margins of the rear wall and wherein in each such pair, one of the side walls includes a front wall extending longitudinally at a right angle therefrom to form a compartment having a cross section composed of right angles.

4. A rack according to claim I which includes a plurality of pairs of side walls disposed in parallel relationship to each other and extending at right angles from the respective longitudinal margins of the rear wall, and a pair of front walls extending diagonally from the longitudinal margins of each pair of the side walls and converging forwardly about the longitudinal median line of the rear wall to form compartments having a'pentagonal cross section. 

1. A rack formed from a one-piece blank of rigid material and adapted to hold articles in a vertical position comprising an elongated unitary rear wall, a plurality of forwardly facing horizontally disposed shelves stamped out of a part of the lower sections of said rear wall, and a plurality of at least two sets of enclosing walls commencing a predetermined distance downwardly from the real wall and extending from the longitudinal margins of the rear wall and converging in the front of the rear wall thereby forming a plurality of compartments which are open at the upper end and closed at the lower end by said shelves, the upper edges of walls which extend from the longitudinal margins of the rear wall inclining downwardly and forwardly thereby providing an area at the upper end of the rack for exposure of the top portions of articles held within the compartment the rear wall being upwardly extended to form a handle, and the wall folds being parallel.
 2. A rack according to claim 1 wherein the shelves have a tapered forward face and wherein the enclosing walls include a plurality of pairs of walls extending diagonally from the opposed longitudinal margins of the rear wall and which converge forwardly about the longitudinal median thereof to form compartments having a triangular cross section.
 3. A rack according to claim 1 wherein the enclosing walls include a plurality of pairs of opposed side walls which extend forwardly at right angles from the respective longitudinal margins of the rear wall and wherein in each such pair, one of the side walls includes a front wall extending longitudinally at a right angle therefrom to form a compartment having a cross section composed of right angles.
 4. A rack according to claim 1 which includes a plurality of pairs of side walls disposed in parallel relationship to each other and extending at right angles from the respective longitudinal margins of the rear wall, and a pair of front walls extending diagonally from the longitudinal margins of each pair of the side walls and converging forwardly about the longitudinal median line of the rear wall to form compartments having a pentagonal cross section. 